A mother who dramatically gave birth to a "miracle" baby in the middle of a high street has admitted she thought she was going to die.

Esther Oyeleye gave birth on a flower shop stall in cold Whetstone High Road on November 23 when the baby unexpectedly arrived while she was on her way to hospital.

Baby Isabelle was not breathing when she was born in the breech position and paramedics spent more than three minutes reviving her in the ambulance.

The baby was rushed to hospital, where she had a seizure and was put into an induced coma for five days before miraculously making a full recovery, along with her mother.

Both arrived home after ten days in hospital and Esther now says she wants to thank shopkeepers who came out to help in her hour of need.

The 35-year-old, who has two other children aged four and five, also said she is looking forward to spending the first Christmas at home with her new baby daughter.

She said: “I just want to thank everyone so much – I can’t believe there are still people like this in the world. I know that what they did helped so much. I’d like to cook them all a meal and give them a big hug.

“I was really scared and at one stage I felt so weak I felt like the life was draining out of me. But someone up there was looking down on me to give me one last push to get the baby out and give us both a chance to live.”

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Esther, of York Way, Whetstone, was unable to hold her baby for five days while she lay in an incubator hooked up to numerous drips and wires but fortunately the little girl began getting better by the day.

The mother-of-three also revealed that Isabelle’s registered birth address is now Pink’s florists and that she has been given the nickname ‘Pinky’ as a result.

The unexpected birth came about as paramedics, on the phone to the taxi driver while Esther was in the back having contractions, advised him to pull over immediately and for her to lie flat.

The closest spot was a flower stall outside the florists where Esther, with the help of shopkeepers, the father, and later paramedics, gave birth to baby Isabelle.

A restaurant manager took the worried children inside and gave them pizza and drinks during the episode and a manager and first aider from the nearby Waitrose were on hand to give advice until the ambulance arrived.

Esther admitted the whole incident went by in a blur and that even now she is still coming to terms with what happened.

She said: “It was a total miracle. It is the sort of thing you read about happening to someone else but you never think it could happen to you. It still seems so surreal.

“In the hospital I kept praying and praying. I was wondering if she would survive and, if she did, would she be ok.”

After five worrying days, Esther held her baby for the first time and on the tenth day she was able to bring her home to join her siblings Mordecai, four, and Katriel, five.

“That moment was just amazing. I was trying to stay positive throughout the whole thing but it was so good to have her home.

“We’re all looking forward to having Christmas together now. The main thing is just to thank everyone – I’m so grateful.”